Northern Luzon Coalition for Good Governance, Philippines

Diverse organizations from the religious, academic, indigenous and non-sectarian sectors of society comprise the Northern Luzon Convener's Group (NLCG), which mobilizes CSO networks in the northern Philippines. Its operations are centered in the Province of Abra, Ifugao and the Mountain Province, home of many of its network organizations. The ANSA-EAP coordinating organization for the NLCG, Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government (CCAGG), started as an election-monitoring group during the 1986 election while the Community Volunteers Missioners started as a volunteer organization for local development. Six of the NLCG’s network members are connected to religious institutions and dioceses, reflective of how closely intertwined spirituality and socio-civic concerns are for many Filipinos. For example, the Divine Word College of Bangued incorporates social accountability in its curriculum while church-based organizations like the Social Action and Development Center Monitoring Team Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe work in conjunction with their local ministries to improve governance in their community, usually through participatory monitoring.

Majority of the organizations in the NLCG belong to indigenous communities who live in ancestral domains that were abused and misused for economic use. As a result, indigenous peoples’ rights rank high in the NLCGG’s list of priorities. It creates livelihood projects that sustain lives while helping preserve the environment.

The NLCG’s vigilance and capability-building trainings throughout the years have empowered neighboring communities and provinces to engage in advocacies for transparency, accountability and justice.

Credits for banner photos, from left: “Farmer Mt. Province” courtesy of Rosemarie Razon/SEARCA, 2008; “Give us water” courtesy of Ashoke Ghosh/SEARCA, 2008; “Keep the ecosystem healthy” and “Finding solutions” courtesy of Gina Meneses/SEARCA, 2008. All photos used by permission of the photographers and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)